Writer(s): LaMartina, Jimmy George, Pat Storck, and Michael Joseph Moran, based on a story by LaMartina, George, and Jamie Nash.
Starring: Paul Fahrenkopf, Aaron Henkin, Nicolette le Faye, and Leanna Chamish
There are few homages as exhausting and painstakingly recreated as Chris LaMartina's WNUF Halloween Special. Billed as a “spoof” of found footage horror films, it is instead a loving parody of '80s newscasts and commercials, all of which were shot on tape, and authentically faded (by making copies in the VCR; there are no digital effects) to resemble the same video quality of an old VHS tape.
This entire tape is purportedly a Halloween special that first aired on fictional broadcast station WNUF back on October 31st, 1987—in actuality, it is a film shot in 2013 on a mixture of VHS, SVHS, and DVCAM tape stocks, and then “bootlegged” three or four times in a VCR, thus reducing its quality even further. As both a child of the '80s, and someone who still has a VHS collection and a VCR, I can vouch for the uncanny accuracy of the project as a whole—it's clearly a labor of love by all involved.
The film's focus is on news reporter Frank Stewart, and his live journey into the Webber House, a long-abandoned home where Donald Webber murdered his own mom and dad with an ax twenty years prior. Due to the grisly nature of the killing, it has sat empty ever since, though there are many rumors swirling around that the house is haunted. The purpose of Frank's visit is to find out, once and for all, if there are some angry spirits still living inside...what he plans on doing to them if he finds them depends entirely on what outlandish thing he can think of that will get the most ratings.
But anyone expecting to get right down to the story will have to wait a little while: we start off with the WNUF TV28 Evening News, with (costume-clad) anchors Gavin Gordon and Deborah Merritt, as they run through Halloween-themed topics, local events, and even the weather, all while telling corny seasonal jokes. Richard Cutting and Leanna Chamish, who play the anchors, are perfect in both the looks, and delivery departments, adding yet another layer of believability to the whole affair.
In between each segment come the commercials, and they become a mainstay throughout this whole thing. I must say, though, that the commercial breaks eventually overrun the project; it is obvious that more time and consideration went into crafting these than anything else. There are twice as many commercials in this, than there would be in a legitimate news program from the same period, and so the actual segments are given no time to gain any steam before we cut away to more commercials. That's not to say that they get old, or drop in quality as it goes on, but just that it would have been nice if more time was spent on the actual story, which is a no-frills, bare bones affair.
Once we get through the newscast and make it to the actual special, it also moves on at a glacial pace, attempting to gain as many viewers and as much interest as possible. Reporter Frank Stewart stands outside the house, along with a live audience, and recites facts about the building (including the murders). He asks a couple audience participation questions, and after several minutes (and commercial interruptions), introduces all of his assistants: Louis and Claire Berger, two paranormal investigators (who are helped by Shadow, their black cat); Father Joseph Matheson, a Catholic priest; and his producer, Veronica Stanze, who is in the production van outside of the house, and can call for help if things get too intense.
It doesn't take long before they start hearing strange noises. Is it the ghost of the victims, haunting the site of their murders? Or perhaps their son, returning to the scene of the crime to add to his notoriety in front of a live camera crew? The death scenes are too hastily done to be impactful, and none of the noises are scary, especially since these moments have to stop-start over and over again because of the damn commercials. Unfortunately, this means the actual Halloween program—the whole point of the entire movie—is also the least engaging, thanks in large part to its rushed feel.
Whether or not you'll like WNUF really does kind of depend on your affinity for the movies, and video formats, of yesteryear. Anyone born in the mid-to-late '90s will probably be bored witless by the story, while the brilliance of the commercials will be completely lost on them. That brilliance only goes so far, though, as the film's over-reliance on them becomes more annoying as the minutes wear on, and as the tension of the titular event is (supposed to be) mounting. Given the right crowd, this could be a great “party movie” for an '80s themed party, and it definitely has the potential to be a cult film, especially if VHS makes a comeback (as all vintage things seem to do: see, audio cassettes). It's a one-note film that performs its one-note with admirable fervor and dedication, but what's missing is too substantial to make this anything more than a curiosity piece.
RATING: 6/10
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